YOUR MISTAKE, A VEHICLE TO YOUR MIRACLE

So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the ISHMAELITES, who TOOK him to Egypt. (Genesis 37:28, NIV).

As I meditated on this verse of scripture, a lot of thoughts came to mind which I would love to share with you. God had told Abraham in Genesis 12 to leave his country, his people and his father’s household and go to the land He will show him. He then promised to make him into a great nation and to bless him and make his name great. Some years down the line, after Lot had left him, God said to him, “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your OFFSPRING forever” (Genesis 13:14, 15). Years later, Abraham is still childless. He empties his worry on God and asks that Eliezer of Damascus, his trustworthy servant, be made to inherit his estate but God reiterates, “This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your body will be your heir”. (Genesis 15:4).  Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness.


After waiting for so long, Sarah got tired of waiting and pleaded with Abraham to go sleep with their maidservant, perhaps they can build a family through her. Abraham agreed and ISHAMAEL was produced. Thirteen years later, God establishes a covenant with Abraham and reminds him of his promise to bless him with a child. Abraham fell facedown and laughed and said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under his blessing!” Then God said, “He will, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will call him Isaac… I will surely bless Ishmael and make him into a great nation BUT my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year”. (Genesis 17:17-21) A year later, ISAAC, the child of promise was born.


Ishmael was a mistake, the son of the bond woman. He was not meant to happen but God allowed it because he would later use that mistake to teach us about GRACE. (Galatians 4:23). In subsequent posts, I will talk more on ISHAMAEL and ISAAC as they relate to LAW and GRACE.


There is no disadvantage with God. He uses anything, good or bad, to accomplish his divine purpose in our lives. Later on, we saw how Isaac’s grand son, Joseph, had a dream and that dream will not come to pass unless he is rightly located and ISHAMAEL, the mistake, became the vehicle God used to convey him to the right location, Genesis 37:28.
You might have made mistakes in your journey in life. Don’t be discouraged. God wants to use that mistake as a vehicle to convey you to your miracle. Like Joseph, you might have an awesome dream but you look around you and everything seems to be crumbling down. Don’t worry, help is on the way. Imagine Joseph, after such a glorious dream, ending up in a pit. The circumstances around him at that time were contrary to the dream he had. His brothers had everything planned out but God was working behind the scene, using everything that seemed like a mess, to reveal his glory. He is never too late. Just when they thought, “Let’s see what becomes of his dream”, help (the mistake) showed up. The Ishmaelites showed up and took him to his miracle. We later see how God used Joseph to preserve Israel, at a time when they had nowhere to turn.


God cannot be taken unawares. What the devil plans to use to take you down, God will use to announce you. I have seen people who were victims of sexual abuse being used by God as instruments of healing to those going through similar challenges. He is in the business of converting our messes into messages. Don’t stop believing. No matter what you are going through right now, God loves you and wants to use you in a way you never imagined. His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. Put your trust in Him. What men see as mistakes, God sees as opportunities. People might throw stones at you because of your mistake. My friend, use those stones as stepping stones to your glory.


And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).


All things here include your failures, your mistake and your weaknesses. God uses everything, good or bad for our good. He doesn’t desire that bad things will happen to us but when they do happen, he uses them to His glory. And here’s the good news friends, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither heights nor depths, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35, 38, 39). Isn’t this wonderful friends? Hallelujah! Nothing can separate you from His love. Not even your mistakes and your weaknesses. No matter what you are going through, He is there with you. (Isaiah 43:2).

Be convinced that God can turn that mistake to miracle. He can be trusted. Be assured of His everlasting love. He loves you beyond what you can ever imagine. He has paid the price for your success. You are a victor!